A Fox In The Night
A Fox In The Night is a collab involving Lanson Gate and Isaac Laihe, representing the two series The Gate Chronicles and The Council. It takes place 2 weeks after the events of Lanson Gate and the Steeds of Helios, and around a year before the events of Blood-Stained Memories. Plot Lanson Gate is currently on an assignment from Artemis to chase the Teusmian Fox away from Thebes, Illinois. He starts off in Canada, the fox's last known location, where he suddenly finds himself facing a new and strange enemy... who is this young man? Story Isaac Running through Canadian woods at night definitely wasn't a highlight of my life. If you had told me a couple of weeks ago that I would regularly run around looking for the jerk that bit me, I would have thought you belonged in a mental hospital. I'm a vampire, by the way. Not intentionally. I'm not one of those people who join vampiric cults or anything like that; I was just in the wrong place, at the wrong time. What's worse is that the imbecile that Turned me didn't even stick around to explain. It was just "Hey! I bit you, so from now on you'll be a blood-sucking demon! Hope you enjoy!" I spent most of my spare time looking for him. I knew he couldn't turn me back, but I didn't see why he deserved to get away with ruining my life. This particular night was worse than most. I knew it was cold, but I didn't feel anything. Couldn't feel anything. Side affect of being a vampire. The clouds began to gather around me, and I knew a storm was coming, although I didn't fear for my health; even a lightening strike couldn't kill me. When the moon rose, I knew I should probably get back home. Not because of my parents, they were used to me being "rebellious." I just didn't like being out in the woods at night. I decided to call it a night, and when I turned, I stepped on a twig. It snapped, and something behind me growled. I just had time to duck down when an enormous fox-like creature hurdled over me, sprinting through the forest. I sighed, wondering what it was. Before I could stand, a young man came sprinting through the trees and, not noticing me, he stumbled on my leg. I quickly shot up, and observing his spiked gloves, bared my fangs. He gasped, but didn't seem completely surprised, as most people would. "Who are you and what the hell are you doing in the middle of a forest at night?" He spat at me, angrily. "I could ask you the same thing." I replied, as casually as I could. Lanson Okay, now I think I've seen everything. I've been attacked by cannibal giants, taken the taxi ride from hell, breathed fire, shot out the sun, and grown wings and fly. But this kid...this kid made me uneasy. I started my day yesterday sitting with my girlfriend Marie at our favorite restaurant, just having a good time. And then Artemis showed up. Somehow, her famous fox that used to terrorize the ancient city of Thebes from back in the day had been accidentally released from her care three days ago and was wreeking havoc in the countryside as it makes it's way up to the town of Thebes, Illinois. Well, naturally she heard about how I recovered the sun and thought I was the only person that could stop it. So of course I agreed. She could've mentioned that the fox had superhuman speed. So here I am now, in Canada, tired beyond tiredness and really starting to get annoyed at the Virgin Goddess when a teenager trips me in the wilderness. With fangs like Count Dracula of course. Gods, I hate my life. "Who are you and what the hell are you doing in the middle of a forest at night?" I spat at him as I got myself out of the dirt. "I could ask you do same thing." he responded back calmly. Jerk. "Well, I asked first." I responded back. "So what's your name, kid?" "Isaac." he told me as he put his hands in his pockets. "My name is Isaac. And you are?" This was weird. He could obliviously see my cestuses, but I had never seen him at Camp Half-Blood before. And his teeth... "My name is Lanson Gate. So what are you, a half-blood or something?" Isaac's eyes went big and his faced turned red. "Um, excuse me? That was kind of racist, jerk." I raised my eyebrows. "I'm the jerk? Your the one that made me trip and fall. I was chasing that fox and it got a way because of you!" "Who the hell chases a fox?" Isaac smirked. "A demigod, as you very well-" "Demi-WHAT? Are you one of those guys that smoke apples or something?" I swear what happened next was an accident. I didn't try to burn him. But I hate drugs, and when I get angry my fire breathing ability likes to crop up. So I breathed fire on him. Soon the poor boy was engulfed in flames. "Holy Hera!" I immediately clapped my hands together, sending out a shockwave that dispersed the flames and knocked the boy backwards. "Dude are you okay?" Suddenly a foot rose up from the ground and kicked the crap out of my face. How the hell... "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" Isaac The "demigod" and I didn't get off to a good start. The guy was obviously smoking something. Thinking he was half-god. He was also an arsonist; I don't know how, but he tried to fry me alive. And he also apparently could cause shockwaves that knock people to the ground. Maybe the drugs he take are somehow airborne, if I could imagine something like that. "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" I screamed, jumping up at him and baring my fangs. The idiot had the nerve to say "I didn't know Twilight had a Canadian fanbase." Anger pulsed through me, and I could hear his heart beating. Pumping all of that cleansed, untainted blood. Cleansed? Blood was never usually that clean. I started walking towards him, thirsty for the first time in days. I bit my tongue - which hurt a lot with my fangs - to stop myself. How could I show him what I was without biting another person? And then it came to me. I turned around, before racing all the way across the forest, and back. In just under ten seconds. When I returned, I retracted my fangs back into my gums. "Whoa!" The boy - Lanson - exclaimed. "Are you a son of Nike?" "The shoe company?" I asked, puzzled. He sighed, before continuing. "No, you idiot. The Greek goddess of strength, speed, and victory." "My mom definitely isn't Nike. I'm a vampire, if you haven't realized." He looked at me skeptically. "Are you kidding?" I asked, outraged. "I just ran through the whole damn forest and back in like 10 seconds, and you don't believe me?" "Nope." He said, casually. "Bite something. Then maybe I'll believe you." I bared my fangs again, and swiveled around. Careful not to step on any leaves, I made my way silently through the forest, like a predator. Eventually, I caught a rabbit. I brought it back with me to where Lanson was, and let him watch as I bit into it, sucking its appetizing blood. His eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, I feared he may attack me. But then he seemed to compose himself. We stood there, in awkward silence. Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore. "Are you just going to stand there quietly or are you going to tell me what you are?" I began. "Because normal people would have ran away by now." "I've already told you, I'm a demigod." He said clearly. "And what's tha-" I stopped myself, remembering something an old friend had once told me. About her parents hunting monsters; and demigods. "You're one of them." I stated. He only had a moment to look confused when I lunged at him. Lanson Everything was going great. I was bonding with a vampire, we were talking normally- and then he decided to jump at me. Using my super-quick reflexes, I dodged out of the way. He turned back to face me, but before he could attack, I reached out my hand and grabbed his arm. "Dude," I said in a somewhat dangerous tone. "Calm down." "I know what you are." Isaac growled. "My girl...I had a friend that used to hunt the likes of you." I raised an eyebrow. "I'm honored. Unless you are talking about demigods in general instead of me." He rolled his eyes at my reply. "I'll tell you what," he began slowly. I rolled my eyes. "I'll let you go." "You'll let me go?" "Shut up. But you actually seem okay. I mean sure, you have a weird obsession with foxes, but still. Now, could you let me go?" "Sure." I let go of the vampire, and he held his arm, rubbing it. "I hope you know that I could easily rip your throat out." he said as he began to walk off. "And I hope you realize that I'm not intimidated of you." I smirked. "Dude, if you knew the things I've done. I shot the sun out with an arrow once." Isaac's eyes widened. "No way." "Yes way. You probably heard about it on the news. I got it back though, so no worries." He nodded. "Yeah, it was on the news. So, I guess I'll see you - or not." "Yeah, sure." And that's when a semitruck broke through the trees and ran us over. Isaac Yeah, I guess you can say the crazy maniac semitruck thing is kinda my fault. Searching for my sire got me to a lot of weird places, including a vampiric tribe - cult, whatever - in the north of Alaska. I may or may not have angered the "chief" of said cult, and he retaliated by - who would've guessed? - sending his cult after me. Two of the vampires were riding in the front of the semi-truck, and I was sure more would be on their way. Luckily for Lanson, I took most of the pressure, and managed to stop the truck from squishing us. He seemed outraged, and opened his mouth, as if to shout something at the drivers, before they revealed their fangs and he realized what they were. Before he could react, I grabbed him by the arm and we sprinted off through the forest. "Friends of yours?" He said pointedly. "Not exactly friends-" I found myself saying. "More like cult members I've been running fro- er, avoiding." Lanson made a sound I'm pretty sure was a scoff, but I couldn't hear it because just then a few vampires erupted from the trees a few meters in front of us. I managed to stop myself before crashing into something; Lanson, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. He apparently didn't see the three, smartly dressed vampires directly in front of us, and ended up crashing into one of them. The vampire didn't even flinch. Lanson straightened up, realized what was in front of him, and backed away slowly. "Isaac." One of the vampires hissed, and I could barely understand him because his fangs were out. "We've been looking for you." "Really?" I started, before I could stop myself. "You obviously didn't look hard enough; if I recall correctly, I scartched my address onto the hood of your "chief's" car." I heard Lanson whistle behind me, seemingly impressed. The vampire, on the other hand, wasn't. He growled at me before saying, "We went to your home address. If I'' recall correctly, when you saw us coming, you sprinted away." Lanson snickered beside me, and my cheeks reddened as any shred of respect I had from him melted away. "I didn't run away," I said, trying to make up an excuse. "I was just, er, giving you one last chance to escape!" The vampires scoffed. "Sure you were." I didn't get the chance to reply as they lunged at us. Lanson I quickly tackled Isaac out of the way and we landed on the ground as the vampires soared over us and landed into the trees with a 'WHUMP' noise. "Jeez dude," he said with a curse. "A little warning would be preferred next time, jerk." "Duly noted," I shot back. "And frantically, I don't care." I helped him up from the ground just as the vampires disentagled themselves from the trees and turned around to face us, baring their fangs. "I wonder what would happen if one of those freaks bit me," I thought out loud. "I'll be a Demiphyre!" Isaac shuddered. "Dude, that is not funny. At all. Like, not one bit." One of the vampires turned to face me. "Who in the blazes are you? Your not a vampire, but your stench...you do not smell like a mortal..." My relunctant vampire companion took a sniff and agreed. "She's right. You don't smell good at all. When's the last time you bathed?" I ignored him and turned to grin at the vampire. "My name is Lanson Gate," I said, and activated my celestrial bronze gloves. They made the darkness of the forest a bit duller. "The Son of Kratos, Eater of Pizza, and all around kind of powerful demigod." A male vampire frowned. "You can't be serious." I breathed a little fire out of my mouth, and licked my lips for emphasis. "Deadly." I charged at the bloodsucker for he could react, and undercutted him with a strike to the belly. He doubled over in shock and pain for a second, before being flung into a nearby oak tree. Isaac whistled. "Dude, that was pretty awesome." "Glad you think so. Care to join?" He nodded with a small smile, and charged into the fray. Isaac Having Lanson has a - temporary - ally wasn't as bad as it could have been. For one thing, he didn't talk as much while fighting. He charged at the vampire to the left as I did the same to the right, the third one in the center still stuck in the oak tree. I lost sight of him as the vampire in front of me lunged, her teeth an inch away from my neck. I shoved her out of the way and held her onto the ground, not letting her rise. I glanced at Lanson, who seemed to be doing just fine, when she bit me on my wrist. I growled at her before proceeding to rip her head off. "Dude, that was...violent," Lanson said, having just knocked the vampire he was fighting out. "I didn't think you had it in you." "You'd be surprised what I'm capable of." "I bet I wou-" A growl from the bushes to our left interrupted him, and we turned to see the two vampires from the truck in front of us. The two that Lanson had knocked aside before had awoken, and went to join their brethren. "Four against two?" I said. "That doesn't seem fair." The lead brown haired vampire sighed. "Let me guess, it isn't fair for us?" "No," I replied, which seemed to surprise him. "It isn't fair for us." He seemed confused, so I took my chance and sprinted up to him. By the time he realized what I was doing, it was too late; I had snapped his neck. "You really have a thing for necks, don't you?" Lanson joked as he sprinted to another vampire and punched her with his spiked gloves. "It's a way to kill them," I explained, severing the head of the brown haired vampire and killing him properly. The vampire Lanson had punched seemingly didn't want to take any chances, because she stood up and sprinted through the trees. The other two quickly followed her. Once they were gone, I said to him "They'll probably be back. With back up." "What could you have done that would anger them so much?" Lanson asked curiously. "Maybe I'll tell you sometime. But not now. As we don't have any stakes, you should probably learn how to pull off heads. Or at least snap them. Snapping them won't kill them, but they'll be knocked out for a few hours at the least." "Who said I'm staying with you? They're your problem, not mine. Besides, I have a fox to find." He turned to leave, but I stopped him. "I'm faster than you,. Compared to me, your a snail. You help me deal with the tribe- every last member, and I'll help you catch your...fox. Deal?" I stood patiently, waiting for his answer. Lanson "Okay," I said as I started to walk in the direction the vampires had taken off to. "Let's get going." Isaac looked shocked. "Um, okay? That's it?" I looked at my newfound vampire ally and raised an eyebrow as I blew some dirt off of my cestuses. I deactivated them, and smiled. "I said okay. Isn't that what you wanted?" Isaac scratched the back of his neck. "I didn't think you'll just consent that easily." "You are really naive, you know that kid?" "Who are you calling a kid?!" I whistled innocently. "I'm just giving you some instructive critiscm Isaac, but you really are kind of naive. I admire your courage...maybe after this is over I'll introduce you to some friends of mine. But you trust a bit to easily. How long have you been fighting?" The vampire looked disturbed. "Not that long," he admited. I gave him a thumbs up. "You'll get better. You kick major heiny bro." He started to laugh, causing me to frown. "What are you laughing at?" "Did you really just say heiny? That is so lame!" he chuckled. I sighed. "You ready or not?!" "Yeah," he finished laughing and turned to face me. "How are we going to get there?" "You afraid of flying?" I said with a grin as I unzipped my jacket, letting it blow in the wind. "How is that relevant to the–" Isaac suddenly stopped talking and gaped as my jacket transformed into a set of angelic like white wings. "What the hell, are you an angel? I thought you said you were a demigod!" "Angel, don't make me laugh!" I said with a glee. "I'm a Son of Kratos, a ''winged bodyguard of Zeus. This is just one of my powers I have. C'mon, grab a hold of my neck. I can fly us there." Isaac WIP Category:Albus Chase Category:IceFireWarden0 Category:The Gate Chronicles Category:The Diplomatic Division